Hi, I just want some expert advice on what to do. I am 31 years old, 5.9 feet, and 165 pounds. I have never drived an ATV before but I want to buy one. I have been offered an used 2003 Raptor 660, and I want to know if it is "Too much a machine" for me to have at the beggining or not. I am really afraid of having to drive something I wont be able to control... or maybe my fears are just dumb... Please advice me what should I do.
Also the guy who is selling it told me he changed the original suspention of the raptor 660, with a YFZ 450 Gas suspension... is that good or bad? also includes K&N competition filters..

Please advice needed badly!

 

for a fist time buyer your bitter if you stay below the 500 cc marked atvs if you can try it and see how you like it and then make your choce

 

Should be ok for you. It does only go as fast as you push the throttle. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

The 660 is a bit tippy but the YFZ suspension will make it handle better.

 

Whatever the first year of production was, it had TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS! Go to the Yamaha forum and ask about it. Not sure it was 03 (I think it was 01???), but better find out.........

I find the Raptor 660 to be a bit tippy. It is narrow and carries its weight up kind of high in the frame.....none of which helps. Personally, I would never own one. My friends who owned the 660's never kept them very long.....which says something right there!

One of the 400's would make a peach of a starter quad. Suzuki Z400 or Honda 400EX!

 

There is nothing wrong with buying a 660 in your situation. Pretty much all of the first year bugs were worked out by '03. Yes, they are a touch tall and tippy, but there are ways to compensate for that. The truth is pretty much all stock quads will 2 wheel anyway. All you need to do is ride within your limits, and take a safety course. At least have an experienced buddy take you out and show you the ropes.

 

Thanks for the help guys! Well yes, I have a friend who "was" an atv rider, and he s also planning in buying a new one, he is pretty much going to help me figure it out how to be able to control that mamuth lol.
Tried to figure it out one thing about "The truth is pretty much all stock quads will 2 wheel anyway".... so what does that mean? Two wheel to the side... or two wheels to the top....

 

two wheel- It means that if you take a turn to tight/fast that the quad will tip up onto the 2 wheels on the outside of the turn. Proper use of body english and throttle counteract this. Making the quad wider also helps to control this effect. The Raptor is one machine that really should have been wider in stock form, but that doesn't mean it is a "bad" machine or that you need to spend a few thousand dollars to make it wider. Chances are, the current owner may have already widened it out some anyway.

 

2001 Raptor had trans problems. It was fixed and all 2002 and newer bikes have the changes.

 

i personally dont like raptors... they are tall and tippy, sure they might be fast on straight aways, but for riding in tight trails they suck compaired to a 400ex or z400...raptors are pretty popular but everyone i know sold them



all i can say is to ride a few different bikes until you find what you like...a 400cc bike is enough power for a newbie [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

There's nothing wrong with a responsible adult starting out with a Raptor. As a rule an older rider would be a little less adventurous and less subject to peer pressure so as a rule they should be less apt to find themselves getting in over their head and into trouble. In fact you may find the Raptor easier to learn on because of the wide powerband that 660 engine has. Of course the Raptor 700 is a better overall machine than the 660 but acquiring a used 660 will cost a lot less money than would a late model or new 700!...